T Books

Haven't read it yet. But the processing job on the book itself was faulty...several pages were bent over and thus not trimmed properly.

I own the Penguins Classics edition but no matter. The story is wonderfully rich. Boswell really is a master story teller because at no point did the story become dry. I literally read and savored every single word.

All I knew of Johnson is that he wrote the first English Dictionary. But I had no idea this man was full of wit. He had a temper no doubt and definitely went through periods of what sound like moderate to severe depression followed by periods of bursting with energy, joy and wit and incredibly prolific and productive in those bursts, enough so that he surprised most people with his abilities in those bursts of creative genius. I am biased as I am a psychiatric physician but it sound like bipolar disorder to me.

Whatever the case may be, I drank this book up. I'm still reading it, have about 40 pages left and haven't put it down since I picked it up.

A must read just because of the sheer wonderful story contained within!

'No man but a blockhead ever wrote, except for money,' Samuel Johnson.
Sorry, it is a hobby.

Samuel Johnson the writer of the first comprehensive dictionary of the English language, which was a very big deal in his day as the elite felt the English language was in decline due to it being influenced by so many foreign influences and the marvel of Samuel Johnson's efforts and method of writing made him, according to Lord Chesterfield Lord Chesterfield's Letters (Oxford World's Classics), as someone to be deferred to as the Caesar of the English language. Samuel Johnson, along with his friend and former pupil David Garrick, helped place Shakespeare as the permanent king of the English language; further, Johnson was a great and singular essayist and has an eternal place as a minor poet of the English language. His dictionary shot Johnson into the inner circle of elite in English society.

Boswell's "Life of Samuel Johnson" is a fascinating read as Boswell traces Johnson's life story. Samuel Johnson and Edmund Burke, a friend of his, and together the center of English political and cultural life with the 'Literary Club' that they had both started were big players in forming the English reaction to the major liberal events going on in their day and could be said to be the fathers of modern conservatism. They were alive to face the genesis of modern liberalism, in the form of Jean Jacque Rousseau along with the American Revolution, theirs was the conservative response. 'What hypocrites are the drivers of negroes to be demanding liberty,' Johnson in reference to the Americans. (It is funny that Samuel Johnson was against slavery while the more liberal Boswell was for it). Although, I know Edmund Burke felt England to be in the reconcilable wrong with the American Revolution Edmund Burke's Speech on conciliation with the American colonies,: Delivered in the House of commons, March 22, 1775; ed., with notes and a study plan ... I. Crane (Twentieth century text-books) the Doctor, Samuel Johnson, did not and felt the Revolutionaries hypocritical ingrates. What is good about conservatism lays with these two fellows, Burke and Johnson. It is also amusing that Johnson's conservativism included the observation that countries should be judged by the condition in which their poor lived, disapprobation given to the worse.

Samuel Johnson came from very humble roots and his early life was spent in modest means, fortunately he was surrounded by books. His first years in London were quite a struggle, near pennyless, sometimes sleeping on the streets. The money he ended up getting for writing the dictionary wasn't much in the end, it was the fame that got him some wealth.

A marvelous read. Giving advice about the legal profession, education: his advice - just do it; habits form early and habits are hard to break... lots of interesting views from how to conduct oneself socially (Boswell seemed in constant search of this) to political commentary (one of my favorite was his advice on being weary of those that wrap themselves in the flag)... too much to write about. Boswell, when he first meets Johnson is so filled with awe and reverance but it mellows out some, he even starts playing games with the Doctor; however, he always greatly respects him but the idolitry disipates.

Although Samuel Johnson's conservativeness and strong opinions might turn people off I find it refreshing compared to the stealth tactics of politics today. Politicians don't say what they mean and that is also probably why the Doctor was discouraged from entering politics in his day by some close friends with ties in that area, somethings change only by degree. James Boswell, the author, didn't agree with the Doctor all the time but appreciated the hard, realistic way of looking at things and amusingly delivered (mostly by quirky analogies) that Samuel Johnson did.

Then Boswell is a story in himself. Boswell's Rousseau-ist fever for the notions of the 'Noble Savage, Natural Man' The Noble Savage: Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 1754-1762 was interesting also; his generation caught it and he had strong sentiments towards it despite Johnson's arguments against its reasoning. This fever also, at the least, lent cover to the American Revolution.

Johnson could only afford one year of college. Received an honarary Doctorate for his dictionary.

One of the books one should read before they turn 20.

The best synopsis of Rousseau and in his own words is probably 'Creed of a Priest of Savoy' The Essential Rousseau (Essentials)

If you feel obliged to wade through the canon once in a while, this won't be a waste of your time, though these days Gibbon's roughly contemporaneous history is a much better read, Boswell's extreme formality being a bit wearing over 1200 pages (in the edition I read).
On the other hand, Boswell's telling of Johnson's life is sprightly and certainly not so tedious as the writings of Johnson himself. People who choose to read the Life will not be disappointed.
On yet another hand, I can easily understand why the library copy I borrowed, though purchased in 1949, had not yet been read (the uncut pages showing me so): except to specialists, I would not recommend this book in lieu of, say, 1000 or so others.
I guess this actually is a useless review: if you have already decided to read this, you shan't have gone wrong; if you're looking for a good read, you're probably not looking here.

I have read alot of biographys until a recently a Cambridge graduate friend recommended the first great biography-Life of Johnson. My British friends have a much better view of literature at large than I do so I listening and purchased this piece. I only appreciated Samuel Johnson for his work with the first English Dictionary which a first edition now retails for over $35000. James Boswell his biographer deplicts his life with such vivid respect and admiration so as to make me better understand what a true friend can be. They obviously had a great relationship for more than 40 years. Samuel Johnson is captured with all his great and abundant humor and deep insight. I love this quote" One man may lead a horse to water but twenty may not make him drink". All in all it is 1400 pages worth reading because its insight into 18th century life in London is so heart felt. Additionally alot of the their conversations took place at a Pub called the Mitre. It is located on Mitcham high street in Tooting, UK. I lived near by and spent a few nights their with friends. Little did I realize I was in the very pub where so many infamous conversations took place some two hundred years ago. A great read.

I really enjoyed this fictional portrayal of the woman at the well. Her strength came alive, not just her shortcomings. It made you think, about your past, present and your future. And it most important lesson of all was that it is not where you are it is where you are going. My thought process was challenged by Hendricks portrayal of Christ which was as I found out later his intention.

This book is wonderful. The women's guild at my church featured it as a topic of a book discussion last year. We had the pleasure of taking part in a telephone conference with the author Obery Hendricks. He was very gracious. It was a wonderful experience. The reader gets an understanding of how women and minorities were marginalized in society during Biblical times.

This is a touching story of a young womans journey from her joy of life to near-death despair around to a greater joy of life.
It truly celebrates the strength of womanhood. The descriptions were vivid and the personalities so real, I felt I knew all of the characters. Because all women have experienced Maryam's life in some form, this story will touch your heart in an unbelievable way. I loved this book!

In this glorious tale of redemptive love BEFORE we know what it is, Maryam flowers despite the heartships and trials of her life. Hendricks is a master storyteller who gives us the depth of anguish from both the men and women, while not excusing the pain that the men are causing the women in this Novel. Given to me by a Pastor who shares the stories of women in the Bible with his congregation, I read it from front to end without stopping, finding the message that God loves us even when we don't see it. Worth reading, but more, worth its use as a Bible study tool. Wonderful story with a dynamic ending!

This is a gripping, at times lusty, tale based on the life story of the Samaritan Woman. LIVING WATER is not a stereotypically lightweight, biblical novel. It's for readers who are ready for a challenge and willing to look for truths presented in nontraditional forms.

Author Obery Hendricks, a seminary "professor of biblical interpretation," calls this, his first novel, "an African American retelling of the New Testament story of the woman at the well who was married to five successive husbands at a time when women did not have the right to choose either marriage or divorce." Ethnic overtones are evident in some characters' nicknames (Sonny Boy and Big Mama) and patterns of dialogue ("Oh Lordy, we're in trouble now" and "Don't he talk sweet"). But there are deeper parallels: The ravages of slavery and harsh control influence the heart of the story --- the Samaritan men being humiliated and beaten down by the Romans; the women being powerless property of the husbands who have lost respect for themselves and take out their frustration on their women.

The book opens with a short, startling death scene of the Samaritan woman's fifth husband. Then Part 1 is a flashback, from prenuptial childhood up to that pivotal, bloody mess. She --- her name is Maryam, though significantly we aren't told this for 250 pages --- is a spunky, in-your-face kind of kid who sadly learns, from her kindhearted grandmother, Ma Tee, that spunk is not acceptable for girls. "Atop the coarse woolen tunic that is [the girl's] usual attire is now draped a stale, heavy garment of carefulness. Ma Tee has tried her best to craft it to her size, yet it does not fit. Still, she will dutifully struggle to wear it, though its weight will sag her heart to its knees." And this narrative comment comes even before she's married to and beaten down by her first husband and abandoned by numbers two, three, and four.

This is a feminist story, but not drastically so; it is egalitarian more than man bashing. The big cast of characters --- five (or is it six?) husbands, three father figures, a brother-in-law, Messiah Jesus, and more --- include bad men and good; similarly with the Samaritan women. In a supplemental reader's guide, Hendricks explains that the Samaritan woman's journey "to be free of male domination and mistreatment was also my own journey to free myself from the roles of dominator and mistreater."

Theologically conservative readers may rankle at some feminist theology, but, again, this is not as radical as it might be. Hendricks interprets biblical passages (mostly from Proverbs, once from Luke) that personify Wisdom (a feminine Hebrew word) as being descriptive of "the woman-side of God."

For a novel that is replete with social commentary applicable to any age --- including a chapter on an itinerant, fraudulent faith healer --- LIVING WATER is an engaging read. Part 2 --- in which Maryam claims her name, takes up with a man who loves her and treats her well, and becomes a disciple of Jesus --- includes powerful scenes of redemption, even unto the last page, which drew a tear to my eye.

--- Reviewed by Evelyn Bence

My nephew just immigrated from China and asked me to get a dictionary for him. I told him that I would get the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.

I bought the dictionary when I was a student in London about ten years ago. I tried a number of dictionaries before I was introduced this one. My landlady used to show my dictionary to other foreign students as I used too often to keep in a good shape.

Well, I don't use it as much as I used to but I highly recommend it to any foreign student. You cannot afford not having it ! In fact, I bought one for my niece and I will buy one for my nephew too. I am sure that it will be the best gift for them ever.

I like the book very much. I love it. I keep it in a saft place, I always put it away after studying. NOTE:
I've found a bug on page 1637, look at the entry "widow", (NOT window).
the entry has "-see aslo GRASS WIDOW" cross-reference, but I can't find the entry "grass widow", the nearest entry found is "grassy". I'm not complaining. The dictionary is very useful, very handy. I'm a foreign student studying Computer Science in US. Excuse my English.

This is perfect dictionary if you wanna learn english of all kinds: formal, informal, slang, literary. etc. It only uses the most common words to define a word. It defines a word in American/British/Australian/Canadian/NewZealander/Pakistani/ Indian meanings. This was the first English to English dictionary i ever used, i was scared at first, but i was tired of unsatisfactory results in English to my native language. This dictionary proved to be amazing, its easy as 1-2-3. The usage notes, wonderful pictures, other illustrations to define words are extremely helpful useful. There's simply no other dictionary like this. I recently moved to USA from Pakistan. Looking at how i speak and write/read english ,nobody can believe believe that i just moved here. Some people assume i'm born american. I even learned that word 'assume' with help of this dictionary that is more helpful than the dictionaries translated in my couple of native languages. By the way, after moving to USA, i soon bought Longman dictionay of american english with CD-ROM. :-)

Because of my eyes I bought the book with the CD-ROM. The explanations are well done and really helpful (they earn a 5). The size of the text is good for my eyes too. But the handling of the program is a nuisance.

If you reduce the size of the window the size of the frames and letters remains unchanged and you end up hiding parts of the content. If you want to use all the features you need a full sized window.

There is virtually no thesaurus or I am not able to use it.

Last but not least: when I had completely installed the program I put the book and the CD-ROM in a cupboard far away to leave my desk tidy, believing it was for ever. Unfortunately at Longman's they want to control you and they force you to insert the disk into the cd-rom player from time to time. As it happened to me, when you mostly need an explanation you may have to frantically search in your cupboards for the cd-rom.
5 for the explanations, 2 for the handling: 3 stars for the CD-ROM.

I've been using this excellent dictionary since the last 8 years. Actually, I can undoubtedly say that this is the BEST dictionary I have ever used for learning English! It's very simple and user-friendly.
Features include:

- Clarifications of the use of a word in a spoken compared to written English.
- Graphs to show the difference in frequency of the use between words in speech and writing, between synonyms etc.
- Highlights thousands of phrases and collocations in the nearest possible way.
- Color and black-and-white illustrations from the parts of a car to the sounds !
- Over 80,000 words and phrases with easy-to-understand definitions.
- Pronunciation key with the proper stress in the word syllabus.
- Signposts in longer entries to help you find the meaning that you need.
- References to other words and phrases, and to pictures and usage notes.
- Words that are often used together are shown in dark type, and followed by an example or an explanation e.g. under the word (argument) you will find (have an argument) (get into an argument) (win / lose an argument) etc.
- Grammatical information is shown in brackets, or in dark type before an example.
- Shows the difference between British and American English including: the pronunciation & spelling differences, words & meaning, differences in grammar, and differences in phrases & collocations.
- Appendix contains Tables (Numbers, Weights & measures, Military Ranks, Word formation, The verb "be", Irregular verbs, Geographical names,
- 3rd Edition comes in 1668 pages, published in 1997.

This is a full discipline for teaching English, not just an ordinary dictionary ! It's essential for your desk, especially if your mother tongue is not English.

I enjoy Kathy Hogan Trochecks books, although when I was reading this one, once I reached page 54, it then went to page 295. I was able to pick it back up again at page 88. I'm sure a printing error, But I did miss out on 34 pages of the book.

I love all of the Callahan Garrity books, and I own the entire series. This was my favorite out of all them. The suspense and twists and turns keep you on the edge of your seat, but the humor and heart are the backbone of the books. I love that the Callahan books are set in Atlanta; it's so much more refreshing than the typical New York or LA settings that many books use. I wish Ms Trocheck would write more Callahan books, but from what I can see, she has moved on to romances (written under the name Mary Kay Andrews) which are still good, but not as good as Callahan.

I adore all of Callahan Gerrity Mysteries and this one was the fiest de resistance. I could not put it down. I ate, slept and drank every word and loved it....Kathy Trochek is a master of description and weaver of mystery. Just loved it.

It's a few days before Christmas, and sometimes disorganized Callahan Garrity, actually has things under control for a change. That is, until her deadbeat brother, Brian, shows up after 10 long years, with a toddler, Maura, who he says is his daughter. Callahan is always used to trouble following Brian, so when she finds out that he's actually kidnapped Maura from his estranged wife, she's not surprised. But, when Brian's ex-wife is found dead, the lead suspect is Brian. And though Callahan knows that he's many things, she knows that he's no murderer. So now it's time for her, her hilarious mother, Edna, and the employees of the House Mouse Cleaning Service to do some serious detective work around Atlanta, before Christmas is ruined for everyone.

This was my first Callahan Garrity mystery, and I was not one bit disappointed. Callahan, and her mother Edna are two hilarious characters, and the mother/daughter relationship between the two of them is absolutely fantastic. Whether you're a mystery lover, or a fan of family drama's, this is a must-have this holiday season.

Erika Sorocco

I deliberately waited over a year to purchase and read Midnight Clear by my favorite mystery author, Kathy Hogan Trocheck. I've always paced myself with her books because there aren't that many to begin with plus it's been over 3 years since KHT last wrote one. I hope that she is working on something new, because all of us Callahan Garrity fans are anxiously awaiting the next mystery featuring Callahan, Edna & the rest of the House Mouse cleaning crew! As for Midnight Clear-it just doesn't get any better than this. Kid brother Brian, who had been in absentia for 10 years suddenly shows up at Edna's doorstep with a surprise in his truck-a 3 year old girl named Maura. There is a major murder mystery for Callahan to solve, but it looks like Brian is the prime suspect-his ex-wife is found murdered in her bed. You'll find yourself rapidly turning the pages until you reach the surprise ending, KHT pulls out all the stops with this one. Once you reach the very end, however, you realize you want more books to come out featuring Callahan Garrity & co. As the previous reviewer mentioned, if only Ms. Trocheck would write as often as Sue Grafton does! Very highly recommended-along with all of her other books. Enjoy!

Gorky's childhood memories brush a very outspoken picture of `that close-knit, suffocating little world of pain and suffering, where the Russian man of the street used to live.'
It is a world full of brutal violence: husbands beating savagely their wives, severely and intensively flogging of children, gamblers becoming totally destitute, alcoholism, dangerous diseases (smallpox, ulcers) and cruel street games (cock and dog fighting, cat torturing, making fun of drunken beggars). Socially, there is a big chasm between the haves and have-nots: their children cannot play together. The poor cannot feed all their new born babies and expose them.
On the other hand, this bunch of `wild animals' is deeply, but primitively religious. They ask God constantly to forgive their sins.

Despite this barbarous environment, Gorky considers his childhood as `a beehive to which various single obscure people brought the honey of their knowledge and thoughts on life; often their honey was dirty and bitter, but every scrap of knowledge was honey all the same.'
There is also another reason why he put these painful memories on paper: `It is the truth and the truth must be known. The Russian man in the street is sufficiently healthy and young in spirit to overcome the horrors.'

Although he lost his love for his family and was thrown out of their home, he remains highly optimistic for mankind: `Life is always surprising us by the bright, healthy and creative human powers of goodness. It is those powers that awaken our indestructible hope that a better and more human life will once again be reborn.'

Gorky was received with open arms by the communists, but that love story ended in total personal disaster.

This brutal picture of the man in the street should remind us from where we all come from.
Not to be missed.

"Childhood" starts out like many Russian novels; we visit the funeral of a young man. In the midst of all the grief, the young widow suffers a miscarriage and the young orphan is sent to the rather disfunctional home of his grandparents. There the temperment of the patriarch is measured by the severity of the beatings he administers. In the midst of all of this, a young boy grows into adolescence.

Maxim Gorky earns our respect as a writer (and as a survivor). It is hard to fathom such a life but Gorky has used the genre of autobiography to paint as visual a portrait as any novel could create. There may not be action taking place on every page but there are always recollections by a man rediscovering who he is by recreating the influential events of his early life. In sharing this insight, Gorky gives us portraits of many interesting individuals. I hedged away from rating "Childhood" with 5 stars because I didn't mind setting it aside from time to time. It is very good but it is not compelling.

I first read this book as a college freshman and think it must be read by all young adults. Gorky is, after all, the "father of Russian literature" -- yet most people have never heard of this writer par excellence. His storytelling is smooth, intense, and warms the heart like a swig of vodka on a nippy night in Nizhny Novgorod (Gorky's birthplace). Wilk's translation is clear and quite excellent. Gorky's vivid memories of childhood will inspire one to recollect their own experiences growing up.

The finest memoir of chilhood that I have ever read. I never felt like I was reading a translation. Gorky captures the wonder of a remarkable and sensitive soul.

This is the 1st past of the trilogy of Maxim Gorky's autobiography. This is a really good and entertaining book, but contains at times morbid and depressing subject material, especially the unbelievable cruelty of some of the characters. There are some light moments though and if you enjoy realism and a brutal peek at what life was like in early 20th century Russian life for poor folks and enjoy Dostoevsky, you will like this book.

I personally think that Gorky belongs at the top of elite Russian writers.

The Blackablys have done a thorough job in researching and summarizing today's secular leadership teaching then contrasting it with spiritual leadership. They point out that many of the principles of secular leadership are of value but the underlying principle of spiritual leadership that differs from secular leadership is that we are to seek God's agenda and not our own. To make their point, early in the book they discuss Jesus as the model for spiritual leadership. Jesus, the very Son of God, did not seek His own agenda, but rather spent hours in prayer to align himself with God's agenda.

The Blackabys also do a great job teaching that spritual leadership is not just for leaders in the church. Spiritual leadership is also required of Christians that are in secular leadership roles. They give us many examples of US Presidents as well as military and corporate leaders that have aligned themselves to God's agenda and have been effective.

We are living in a world that is growing in complexity and the demands on leadership are ever increasing. The Blackabys have shown what an advantage spiritual leaders have in being able to align ourselves to the agenda of a wise and loving God rather than attempting to create our own agenda.

Excelent book. Every leader should read this book. Many good examples of leadership, including President Truman.

We, Christian School teachers, read this and found it very informational. Additionally, it was quite helpful as we learned things that were very helpful in growing and nurturing young leaders of the future.

Drawing from examples of leaders in the Bible, leadership theories, testimonies of ministry and secular leaders, and their own experiences, Henry and Richard Blackaby present a refreshingly helpful and insightful resource on leadership in their book, Spiritual Leadership. Recognizing that Christian leadership today sounds more and more secular than Christian, the Blackabys call on Christians in leadership roles, both inside and outside of the church, to "seek to lead God's way" (17). They define this type of spiritual leadership as "moving people on to God's agenda" (20).

Three main aspects of Spiritual Leadership set it apart from other leadership books and make it highly commendable...

First, it is intended for a broad audience. It is written in a way to be just as helpful for Christian CEOs and other business people as it is for pastors and ministry leaders. In fact, the authors state that they intend this work to be for all Christians who want to make a difference (14).

Second, and most significant, Spiritual Leadership is theocentric in its approach, not anthropocentric. This book is not a do-it-yourself guide to leadership nor is it a self-help book. Instead, it is a refreshing focus on God in the vast sea of "Christian" leadership books today. From the outset, issues such as goals and influence are all presented in terms of God's will. For example, influence is defined as moving people from where they are to where God wants them to be (20). Even popular leadership concepts are reframed in order to present the issue from God's perspective, such as noting how time management really is personal management in order to stay on God's agenda (200). All throughout the pages of this book the Blackabys paint the picture of leadership in terms of God's plans. It is not about advancing one's personal goals. Rather, it is about obeying God and moving people to be in line with His will. The authors conclude that since "God is on mission," the task of leaders is to join Him in that mission and bring people along to join that mission (70). In light of this reality, leaders are urged to make decisions with the reminder that they will give an account before God. The authors remind the readers that the goal is bringing God glory while the reward is finding joy in knowing that they pleased God. In being God focused, this book also recognizes that leaders can accomplish nothing without God. Instead of providing a checklist to be used to achieve goals, the Blackabys encourage leaders to depend on the Lord. In fact, from the outset they state that God calls leaders to do things that only He can do; thus, spiritual leaders must depend on the Holy Spirit (21). Such dependence on the Lord requires a leader to have a vibrant prayer life as well as seek guidance in the Word, from other believers, and even from looking at how God is moving in the circumstances of life. While the repeated stress on dependence and prayer may cause the reader to think "I've heard all of these things ten times already!," such an emphasis prevents the reader from missing the most important theme of the book as well as challenges him or her to remember Jesus' words that are so counter-cultural in the leadership world today: "Apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).

Third, Spiritual Leadership focuses more on being than on doing. Instead of offering a program to implement, a check-list to do, or an attitude to embrace, this book challenges leaders to be faithful to God. As in the other themes, the Blackabys are straightforward in this assertion, as seen when they say within the first several chapters that "leadership is more about `being' than about `doing'" (31). The Blackabys believe that being holy and faithful and modeling obedience to God's will are necessary since leaders cannot take their followers deeper than where they themselves are. As such, spiritual leaders must spend much time in the "conscious presence of God" (170). By abiding in Him, spiritual leaders can then encourage their followers to grow in their relationship with God. In addition, such abiding is shown to be necessary since spiritual leadership comes through revelation, not from vision. As leaders and followers seek God, they will be able to join together in accomplishing the work to which He calls them.


All of these themes are repeated throughout the book. By stating them directly in the introductory chapters and repeating them throughout, it is hard to imagine how any reader could miss this counter-cultural, yet solidly biblical, approach toward leadership. By the time readers turn the last page, they can easily articulate the thesis that spiritual leadership is moving people on to God's agenda. They can articulate the reality that leadership is about pleasing God. They understand that such leadership requires abiding with God more than doing certain tasks. Most of all, they recognize that such spiritual leadership, while hard work, is a high calling and a "God-given privilege" (236). Whether you find yourself in a leadership role in the church, in business, in education, or even in your home, the timeless, Biblical principles articulated by Richard and Henry Blackaby will motive you to discern God's will, be faithful to follow the path He has set before you, and do everything you can to bring others along on the exciting adventure of knowing and following God.

I found this book very engaging and was able to read through it without multiple pickups. By this I mean, that I didn't put it down for a few weeks and then pick it up again. Instead, I read through it in about four days. Overall, the book was very good. The only area I would have liked to have seen greater depth was in the decision making process. This was one of the shorter chapters and I felt the authors could have gone a little deeper here.

From a Christian perspective on leadership, this book would definitely be in my top five choices along with The Revolutionary Communicator, The Book on Leadership, Lead Like Jesus, and Christian Reflections on the Leadership Challenge. These other four are fine reads as well.

Excellent tool for teaching your children about the Orchestra. The CD that comes with it is great.

I purchased this book in preparation for teaching a group of homeschooled students (ages 7-14) a short course in music appreciation. It was a terrific resource for them. The text was brief but engaging; the cartoons were entertaining; and the photography was so eyecatching. It covered the musical periods, with information on several representative composers. Then each of the orchestra sections was covered, with a helpful CD included to hear snips from pieces that featured the instruments. The students all learned quite a bit from this book. I recommend it highly.

"Santa" brought this book for our 4 year old. She loves it! It is layed out in a way that we can read just portions of each page without her getting overwhelmed. It is definitely a book she can grow with. Because a mom has to brag: My daughter can now easily name each instrument and knows which "family" it belongs. She laughs hysterically over Beethoven's picture, knows Tchaikovsky composed Swan Lake and the Nutcracker (the sweetest thing is hearing a 4 year old rattle of Tchaikovsky and Vivaldi!) etc. Highly recommended!

We bought this book (with accompanying CD) as a self-contained music course for our homeschooled son (10). Although he had no prior interest in orchestra music, he is reading along together with Mom in the book and listening to an excerpt of orchestra music once a week. The first part of the book has interesting tidbits on musical eras of orchestra music, with biographical overviews of some of the major conductors of each era. The second part of the book contains drawings and descriptions of various orchestra instruments. After a composer or instrument is discussed, the book then refers you to listen to a track on the CD that illustrates the composer's work or the instrument's sound. It's surprisingly difficult to find a good self-contained program for teaching music to children. This book and CD worked well for us.

I was looking for resources to help make teaching about classical music and composers to primary grade children more entertaining and I found what I needed all wrapped up in this book and CD combination.

Part I of the book concerns composers and is separated into the periods in which they composed, ie., Baroque, etc., with a brief description of art, architecture and feeling of the period. The composers covered for all periods are Vivaldi, Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Wagner, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Mahler, Debussy, Stravinsky, Schoenberg, Gershwin, Copland and Bernstein.

Part II of the book is about the instruments of the orchestra. Again, this is further broken down into the different sections of the orchestra such as strings, woodwinds, etc. Then within each of those sections a feature on the individual instruments.

The accompanying CD has brief examples of the compositions introduced in the composers section and for each instrument. It really helps the kids hear what they've been discussing.

One of the best things about this book are the illustrations. They are colorful and entertaining. Sometimes there are humorous illustrations such as a drawing of the ideal Baroque instrumentalist needing 2 right hands, 3 left hands, and 3 eyes which really had my 3rd grade kids in giggles after hearing the intricacies of "Spring" by Vivaldi. There are also entertaining illustrations showing how an instrument produces its sound and they are mixed with photographs of the instrument itself. I highly recommend this book for music teachers to use as a reference and for parents who have children interested in learning an instrument.

When I decided to buy this book I wasn't sure about it's content Now I do recomend it to one intends to study theology or use it as a catechesis meterial. It contents is well done e very usefull.

As others have clarified, this review is for the English-only version of Aland's synopsis. I just went through this book for a seminary class on the Gospels, and it is truly an amazing resource.

Aland aligns the four gospels in parallel with each other, so that every time the reader encounters a particular story from one Gospel account, the analogous portion of the same story from any of the other Gospels appears alongside it in another column. And if a story is unique to one Gospel, then the other three columns are blank.

My study of this book has shed amazing light on the life of Jesus, as I have previously only read about Him from one Gospel or another. But reading these stories in parallel with each other provides a fullness to our understanding that is simply impossible when read in isolation.

My only critique is that some of the formatting seemed unnecessarily cumbersome. The footnotes are so prominent as to be almost overwhelming, and some of the spacing was strangely irregular.

Of course, when used for its presumed purpose as a reference book, those logistical issues become less problematic. Ultimately, this is not written to provide devotional readings, and I would not recommend anyone to simply sit down and plow through this entire book. However, for anyone with the task of preaching and teaching from the Gospels or for anyone who simply wants to understand the life of Jesus more fully, I cannot imagine a book that would provide a better way to compare the four Gospels than this.

This book was recommended by someone who already completed their theology studies. They indicated that this is the best synopsis available, and I'd have to agree. While it may not have the original Greek text, the price is right, and it's a great resource to have for study.

If you're in need to see how ALL of the Gospels tie together, this is a MUST. GREAT for Study Groups!!!

Excellent book for anyone who wishes to study the bible and get a better understanding

Globalization is quickening and will continue to have an increasing impact on your professional career. With globalization there will never be a shortage of Talent. Having the best talents and proven capabilities is not enough anymore. As the author puts it, we need to become "Talent-plus" person. If you do, you will add value to yourself, add value to others and accomplish more than you dreamed was possible.

This is an excellent book that can be applied in the real world. As an IT Project Manager, I was able to apply the learnings from the section on Teamwork to inspire my project team.

Other books on the same subject seemed very philosophical "common sense" with no practical actionable take aways. This book, however, explains things in very analytical format with examples that I could relate to, both personally & professionally. Recommended!

This book forces you to examine your character more than your talent. It offers concrete information with great examples.

This is a must read for everyone regardless of vocation or lifestyle. Reccommended to me by Jim Tressel of Ohio State University, and I have studied it like a college text book. As an educator and an advocate for youth, it has significantly affected me and the way I conduct my profession. Read this, it will be one of the best choices you'll ever make, and it takes no talent to do it!

This book is fantastic! I enjoyed it from beginning to end. The author kept my interest as I learned some life points that I'll never forget. I would recommend this book to anyone who desires to become a better person all-around. If you want to become a "talent plus person" this book is for you. Now, I plan to purchase the study guide so that I'll be able to draw even more out of this book and myself.

Was a great encouraging book, when you feel like you just aren't good enough. Easy read, with lots of typical John Maxwell one liners.

I was pleasantly surprised to find out this is the book used on a Simply Quilts episode, which I had wanted to buy anyway. A good, fast strip method for making Trip Around the World, Blooming Nine Patch, and other patterns. Lovely photos, definitely worth a buy.

I took a class with this wonderful, spunky lady a few years ago. She makes HUGE quilts, and this book has a great selection of variations. The sizes only include either very large, or baby. But the designs are so simple!

I love this book. I've made a couple of quilts using it and plan to make a few more. I've gotten nothing but rave reviews on the quilts I made using this book and I can't recommend it highly enough. I purged through my quilt book collection and got rid of most of them but this book stayed in my top ten list. The use of color alone is worth the price of the book.

Very clear directions and beautiful designs. Good ideas on blending colors. Great for beginners but interesting enough for the experienced quilter.

This is a great book that includes the Blooming Nine Patch that many have seen popping up recently. There are several very inspiring quilts in here that are not difficult to piece. Great instructions that include even the orientation of pieces to minimize problems with bias edges. I've already done the Blooming Nine Patch and plan to make a few more as the possibilities are endless. This is one book you will definately use and not just look at and enjoy

pam h
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